Justification:
This species is listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, tolerance of a broad range of habitats, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.

This species ranges from Syria (where it is widespread) and eastern and southern Jordan, to Iraq, southwestern Iran (where it may persist as isolated relictual populations in the Mesopotamian lowlands of Khuzestan and Fars [S. Shafti pers. comm. September 2008]), northern Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. It is not present in Lebanon.

This species is found on dry semi-desert habitats with hard substrates including stony areas and places with scattered vegetation. Animals have been recorded from mixed sandy and gravelly areas. Anderson (1999), found them on active dunes with low thorny shrubs, with some of these areas under cultivation for cucumbers. It is generally not present in modified habitats though.

Lymberakis, P. and Kalionzopoulou, A. 2003. Additions to the herpetofauna of Syria. Zoology in the Middle East 29: 33-39.

Martens, H. 1993. Three species of snake new for Syria. Zoology in the Middle East: 49-58.

Sindaco, R. and Jeremčenko, V.K. 2008. The Reptiles of the Western Palearctic. 1. Annotated Checklist and Distributional atlas of the turtles, crocodiles, amphisbaenians and lizards of Europe, North Africa, Middle East and Central Asia. Edizioni Belvedere, Latina (Italy).

Werner, Y.L. 1971. Lizards and snakes from Transjordan, recently acquired by the British Museum (Natural Hisrory). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Zoology 21: 213-256.